Dubai couple fined after dispute ends in assault

Dubai’s Court of Appeal has upheld a First Instance ruling fining a Gulf husband and his Arab wife Dh8,000 each after both were convicted of mutual assault following a domestic dispute that escalated into physical violence and damage to property.

Case files show that the husband assaulted his wife and seized her mobile phone during the altercation, while the wife retaliated by smashing the window of his luxury vehicle and causing damage to its bodywork.

The incident dates back to last March, when a domestic worker reported that the wife had been assaulted by her husband inside their home in Al Barsha. She said the husband beat his wife with a palm-frond stick after a verbal argument and took her phone during the attack, according to Al Khaleej Arabic daily.

 The worker added that the husband told her to take their son to another room as the row intensified, after which the wife went outside and broke the car window, causing further damage to the rear door and exterior.

A police officer testified that the husband denied assaulting his wife, claiming he acted in self-defence and that her injuries resulted from her attempting to attack him. He added that their dispute began because he was late in paying the rental cost of a vehicle he had hired for her, and that she deliberately damaged his car; the losses were estimated at Dh45,000.

During questioning, the wife said her husband assaulted her due to ongoing marital disputes and confiscated her phone to prevent her from calling for help. She noted that she had previously filed a complaint against him over repeated assaults and had refused to reconcile.

The appellate court upheld the original verdict, concluding that both parties were responsible for the violent escalation.